In a diversified and complex media economy where convergence is setting the tone for future, the Indian government is working towards an integrated policy that would take care of all the existing media segments.

As part of the Sam Pitroda-led National Innovation Council initiative, sectoral council panel has recommended to the government to formulate an integrated national media policy that liberalises and reforms the broadcasting sector. It further proposed a common audience measurement system for all media; create a public service broadcasting fund and a media education council, and reboot media licensing reforms.

It recommends that “reliable single source data on all mediums of advertising should be made available by the government so that advertisers are able to take decisions on key data.” Currently, advertisers look to varied sources for reliable data on different media: the National Readership Survey for newspapers, the TAM Media Research peoplemeters for satellite channels and FM radio, and still evolving audience measurement and behaviour systems for the fast-growing online media.

The council now seems to be suggesting that the government create a system to collate such data and make it available to advertisers. It also emphasises the importance of developing an alternative to the TAM system. The council spells out the need for national policies on film, animation, gaming and VFX as well.

The council makes a serious bid to create a sustainable source of funding for public sector broadcasting, suggesting that once Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR) complete the digitalisation process, the airwaves thus released could earn money for an exclusive fund. This would be on the same lines as the universal service obligation fund of the telecom sector, it says.

The council also suggests that community radio stations could provide local, grassroots content for AIR. In return, AIR could provide the much-needed capacity building and training in both content creation and station management to community radio workers.

The council also seeks the regulation of the rapidly expanding realm of media education. “Like medical education and technical education, media education should be regulated by a new organisation known as Media Education Council.